Dianthus plant named ‘Bedazzled’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Dianthus gratianopolitanus,  ‘Bedazzled’, characterized by its blue-grey foliage, its tight, compact habit throughout year, its flowers that are light pink in color with a distinct burgundy eye that bloom sporadically throughout the year with 2 heavy flushes of bloom for 4 weeks in spring and 4 weeks in fall in Georgia.

Botanical classification: Dianthus gratianopolitanus.

Variety denomination: ‘Bedazzled’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthusplant, botanically known as Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Bedazzled’ andwill be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Bedazzled’. Thenew cultivar represents a new cultivar of cheddar pinks, an herbaceousperennial grown for landscape use.

‘Bedazzled’ was discovered in a container block in the Inventor'snursery in Alpharetta, Ga. in August of 2007. The new cultivar derivedas a naturally occurring branch mutation of Dianthus gratianopolitanus‘Bewitched’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,159).

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by theInventor using stem cuttings in August of 2007 in Dahlonega, Ga. Thecharacteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable andare reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Bedazzled’ as unique from all other varietiesof Dianthus known to the Inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Bedazzled’ exhibits foliage that is blue-grey in color.    -   2. ‘Bedazzled’ exhibits a tight, compact habit throughout the        year.    -   3. ‘Bedazzled’ exhibits flowers that are light pink in color        with a distinct burgundy eye.    -   4. ‘Bedazzled’ blooms sporadically throughout the year with 2        heavy flushes of blooms for 4 weeks in spring and 4 weeks in        fall in Georgia.        In comparison to its parent plant, ‘Bewitched’, ‘Bedazzled’        differs in having a plant habit that remains tighter throughout        the season in warm regions of the U.S. and in having flowers        that are pink in color with a burgundy eye, whereas ‘Bewitched’        exhibits flowers that are pale pink and lack a distinct eye.        ‘Bedazzled’ can be most closely compared to Dianthus        gratianopolitanus cultivars ‘Firewitch’ and ‘Bath's Pink’ (both        unpatented). ‘Firewitch’ is similar to ‘Bewitched’ in having        tightly mounded blue-grey foliage, however ‘Firewitch’ differs        from ‘Bewitched’ in having flowers that are bright magenta in        color. ‘Bedazzled’ is similar to ‘Bath's Pink’ in having        blue-grey foliage, however ‘Bath's Pink’ differs from        ‘Bedazzled’ in having a looser plant habit and in having flowers        that are pink in color and lack the burgundy colored eye zone of        ‘Bedazzled’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Dianthus. The photographs in thefigures were taken of a plant about one year in age as grown outdoors ina trial garden in Alpharetta, Ga.

FIG. 1 provides a view of the plant habit of ‘Bedazzled’ in bloom and

FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘Bedazzled’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Dianthus.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of a plant about one year in ageof the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a one-gallon container inDahlonega, Ga. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary withvariations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as ithas not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chartof The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms sporadically throughout the year            with 2 heavy flushes of bloom for 4 weeks in spring and 4            weeks in fall in Georgia.        -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, evergreen, tightly            mounded foliage with upright flower scapes.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 20 cm in height and about            30 cm in width.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 9.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.        -   Root initiation.—Cuttings root in about 2 weeks in the            summer at 25° C. and winter at 20° C.        -   Root development.—A cutting is fully developed in a 2-inch            plug in 5 to 6 weeks in summer and 6 to 7 weeks in winter.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem strength.—Strong and held upright.        -   Shape.—Oval, solid swollen at nodes.        -   Stem color.—Young; 145A to 145C, mature; 138A, bark; N199B            with nodes 161A.        -   Stem size.—Average of 1.7 mm in diameter and 15 cm in length            (including peduncle).        -   Stem surface.—Finely puberulent imparting a glaucous            appearance when mature, bark-like on basal stems.        -   Branching habit.—Numerous dense branches emerge in whorls            from stout woody stems, about 200 lateral branches as grown            in a one-gallon container, continuously produced during            bloom season.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf shape.—Linear.        -   Leaf base.—Blunt, clasping to stem.        -   Leaf apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Leaf margin.—Entire, minute rough hairs.        -   Leaf venation.—Linear, not conspicuous, color same as leaf            color.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile, clasping.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf surface.—Glaucous on upper and lower surfaces.        -   Leaf color.—Newly emerged and mature upper and lower            surface; 189A with glaucous coating of 189B basal clasping            portion 138D.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 3.8 cm in length and 3 mm in width            with basal portion clasping leaf about 3 mm width and            length.        -   Foliage fragrance.—None.-   Flower description:-   General description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary and occasionally pairs of            salviform flowers at terminus of lateral branches.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 4 days.        -   Fragrance.—Mildly sweet.        -   Quantity of flowers.—About 150 flowers per one-gallon plant,            produced in succession with an average of 20 flowers open at            one time.        -   Flower type.—Salviform.        -   Flower size.—About 2.5 cm in diameter and 2.3 cm in depth.        -   Flower buds.—About 1.3 cm in height and 3 mm in diameter,            oblong in shape, color 138A to 138B with apex 76D.        -   Peduncle.—An average of 1 cm in length and 1 mm in diameter,            138A in color, surface is puberulent and appears glaucous.        -   Pedicel.—Flowers are sessile to peduncle.        -   Petals.—4, limb is obdeltoid in shape, glabrous surface,            rounded apex, margins are serrated along apex and sides and            entire at base, limb is about 1.2 cm in width and 1 cm in            length, claw (enclosed in calyx)) is an average of 1 cm in            length and 2 mm in width, color when opening upper surface;            claw 144D, limb 76D with center portion marked with            striations of 72A and eye zone N79B, color when opening            lower surface; claw 144D, limb 76D and lightly suffused at            base with N80D, color when mature open upper surface; claw            144D, limb 75D slightly diffused with 75A and 75B and eye            zone 72A, color when mature lower surface; claw 144D, limb            76D and slightly suffused with N80C, not persistent.        -   Calyx.—Cylindrical in shape, fused sepals with un-fused            apex, puberulent surface, average of 1.5 cm in length and 3            mm in width, 138A to 138C in color, persistent and dries to            about 164C in color.        -   Sepals.—5, fused, the triangle-shaped tip at apex are            un-fused and about 2 mm in height and 3 mm in width.        -   Epicalyx.—Comprised of 5 involucre bracts; oblong to ovate            in shape with truncate base and caudate apex, about 6 mm in            length and 2.5 mm in width, 138B to 138C in color,            puberulent surface.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; about 2 cm in length at maturity,            extended beyond petals, styles; N155C in color, crystalline            in appearance, about 1.9 cm in length, stigma; color N155C            flushed with 91D in and curled, ovary; superior to stamens            and inferior to pistils, oblong in shape, 1 cm in length and            3 mm in width, 144A in color.        -   Androcoecium.—Stamens; 10, un-fused, about 7 mm in length,            filament; 145C in color, about 6 mm in length, very fine and            crystalline in appearance, anthers; N80C in color,            dorsifixed, oblong in shape, about 2 mm in length and 0.7 mm            in width, pollen; not discernable.        -   Fruit and seed.—Fruit; a capsule formed by calyx,            development of seeds was not observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant named‘Bedazzled’ as herein illustrated and described.